We Buried the Truth
by adonisrey
Summary: Rory, a full-time journalist, is sent back to Stars Hollow to cover a story about a girl who went missing. Things, however, aren't as they seem. The whole town seems to be hiding a secret and she's determined to get to the bottom of it. While she's there, Rory runs into an old flame. Will the town secret bring them together or tear them apart? (Rated M for language)
1. Chapter 1: You Shouldn't Have Come Back

"You shouldn't have come back here Rory."

"Tell me what happened Jess."

"No."

"Jess I'm not— "

"No! I can't. Look, I'm trying my best to protect you. Please listen to me. It is not safe for you here anymore."

I didn't quite know what to feel. I was scared. I was angry. I was confused. I was filled with an undying need to know the truth. And Jess was the only one I knew who could give me answers.

"Rory, you need to leave. Tonight."

He sat to my right and throughout our conversation, we barely looked at each other. But if he had looked at me in that moment, I would have broken. I couldn't bear the thought of leaving him again, of never seeing him again. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. But I needed to fight them back. Not here. Not now.

"Rory –" He reached out to touch my shoulder.

"Don't, Jess." I stood up and walked out of the pub.

I stopped outside the doors of the pub and started to cry out the tears I could no longer hold back. I had to think of my next move before I got myself caught in a catch-22. As I started to walk, the snow began to fall.

"First snow of the year." A voice behind me said.

I just stared up into the dark blue sky and said nothing.

"What are you going to do now?" Jess asked.

"I don't know."

I turned around to look at him squarely in the eyes. For a moment, nothing but silence and snow filled the space.

"You're not going to leave town tonight, are you?"

"No." I said quietly.


	2. Chapter 2: The City That Never Sleeps

It was a day like any other. The office was filled with journalists typing furiously to make their deadlines. The hustle and bustle of the New York Times is in fact the only thing I'm used to around here.

"Rory, can you come into my office for a sec?" Caleb called out.

"Yeah sure. I just need to finish this article I'm working on."

"That can wait. I actually have an important assignment for you."

"Alright."

Caleb, my editor-in-chief, was a 30-something dirty blonde lanky fella. He is what I imagine a younger Edward Norton to look like. I mean, pre-Fight Club days. He was brilliant and had great visions for the New York Times. I would like to say that I'm his favorite reporter except that lately he's been assigning me shitty articles to cover. So you shouldn't be surprised when I am less than enthused whenever Caleb says "I have an important assignment for you." Nonetheless, I step into his office and prepare myself for covering what I'm praying has nothing to do with the Kardashians. We are a serious publication, or so they say.

"Rory, you're from this town called Stars Hollow. Am I right?"

"Uhm yes that's right."

"Well a source of mine who just got back from there said that there's a story about some rich girl who went missing when she visited that town of yours."

"Oh, that's terrible. But Caleb what do you want me to do about it?"

"I want you to get that story. Uptown girl gone missing in a downtown…well town? That's journalism gold right there."

"A girl went missing and you're going to exploit that. That's terrible."

"No I'm not. Look ever since we got a bad rap because that idiot Martin decided to publish that fake news…ahem what he calls 'alternative facts' on our social media a few months ago, we haven't been able to fully recover."

"I understand that. But Caleb, we're the New York Times. We're solid!"

"We will be. If you can get this story. Look my source said that no one would talk to him about the missing girl. I figured that maybe I could throw you in there to get to the truth. I mean, you're from there right? So I'm sure they'd be more than willing to talk to you than some outsider."

I sighed deeply. I hadn't been back to Stars Hollow in a while. Things had gotten so busy for me ever since I joined the NYT that I haven't really found the time to visit home. Usually, my mom drives up here to New York when we want to see each other. Other times we meet at my grandmother's house to have dinner. Although, ever since grandpa passed away, dinners at their house have grown to become more and more infrequent.

"So you're going." Caleb said, interrupting my train of thought.

"I mean, do I have a choice in all of this?"

"Not really."

"Then I guess I'm going."

"Great. Thank you Rory."

I smiled weakly and left his office.

When I arrived at my apartment located somewhere in Greenwich Village, I packed enough things for a week into my suitcase. I was not necessarily looking forward to this assignment. A lot of things felt off about it. First, how was I supposed to gather information? Would I just walk up to the local townspeople and say "hey, I know I haven't seen you in years but can you tell me about the case of the missing girl?" I don't think that after my years-worth of not visiting that people would be jumping at the opportunity to help me out with this. Second, and more importantly it's an extremely sensitive case. How would I even approach it? I don't even have enough information about this girl. I don't know her name. I don't know anything except that there's a girl who visited and went missing. Third, shouldn't this be the job of the police?

Hundreds of questions flooded my head but it was my job and I was going to do it. Perhaps this could even be my big break.

I put on my sweater, took my bus ticket and left my apartment. I hailed a cab and made my way to the bus station. As I boarded the bus, I couldn't help but think about the last time I had been on a bus from New York to Stars Hollow. Funny how time flies. I took a seat near the window and looked up at the skyscraper we were parked next to. I took one last glance at the city that never sleeps and ironically, closed my eyes to drift off into a dreamless sleep.

Hours later, I wake up to the yelling of the bus driver. "Stars Hollow! This is the Stars Hollow stop! Anyone getting off?!"

I stood up and got off the bus.

And just like that, after years and years, I was back at Stars Hollow.


	3. Chapter 3: Ghost Town

Stepping off the bus and onto the pavement of Stars Hollow was a strange feeling. I thought that growing up here would be enough of a reason to make this place feel like home for the rest of my life. But, the truth is, home moves. Home used to be in a small, quaint house in this town. And then home became a dorm room in Yale. Then home became Logan. Eventually, home to me was just New York and for a while I even thought it was Caleb. You see the thing they never tell you is that just about anything can become your home—until it's not. It changes, you see, just as you change. Stars Hollow was no longer my home and it hadn't been for a while. But I'm determined to do my job and I'm determined to do it well. The feeling of detachment and alienation from this place is something I need to get over.

I walked heading towards the center of the town and passed by so many familiar places. I walked past Miss Patty's dance studio that was still closed at this hour of the night. I walked by Luke's diner and Taylor's soda shoppe. I eventually stopped near Doose's market because something unusual caught my eye. After all these years, it was as if nothing in Stars Hollow really changed. Everything looked the same and looked as if no time had passed from when I left for New York almost a decade ago to this very night. So finding something new in this town can be pretty instant as it would stick out almost immediately. And that's exactly what the building down the street from Doose's market looked like—something bizarrely out of place. Even if it was behind Doose's market, there was no hiding that huge, white Grecian building. It had taken up the entire street located behind Doose's market and it was located where Sophie's music shop used to be. My guess is that they tore down a few buildings to make space for this new building.

I walked towards it and just marveled at it for a while. The building was modeled after ancient Greek architecture. It had giant white pillars at the front and a portico of about 6 feet behind them. The roof was triangular and written in big, bold letters on it was "MUSEUM OF ANCIENT AND MODERN HISTORY." It was interesting to me that a town with so little history of its own would dare have an entire museum about the world. Of course, it was late at night already or was it early morning? I checked my watch.

"4:30 am."

Nothing was opened at this hour and no one was awake. With all the establishments closed and with only the silence to surround me, it felt just like a ghost town. I headed towards the portico and stood there for a while. I looked down and noticed that the floor was made up of marble—pure, white, beautiful marble. I examined it closer to study the detailing of the marble. I figure that it's must be Carrara marble because only something so smooth and pure could be cut from it.

I looked at the doors to the entrance of the building. There were two busts made from copper. The bust to the left of the door was of Julius Caesar and the bust to the right was of Albert Einstein. I suppose they are representative of the ancient and modern history, respectively. I walked out of the portico and took a few steps back from the whole building to stare at it again. I wondered how the town could ever afford such a big and beautiful museum. I haven't gone inside but just looking at the exterior leaves me to speculate that what is inside is just as grand, if not more so. So how was Stars Hollow able to pay for all of this exactly?

I took out my iPhone and took a picture of the building. And just as I was about to put my phone away again, two very loud text messages came through. And the sound of it echoed throughout the street. I checked my phone and the notification banner read "Text Message – Caleb Lambert (2)"

I wasn't really in the mood to be talking to Caleb, especially not at this hour of the day. I figured that Caleb might still be awake at this time. As reporters, we're trained to live without sleep and substitute water with coffee; that of course has never been a problem for me. Caleb might still be awake trying to edit the articles that are supposed to come out this week. Or he might have woken up to check up on me and see if I made it to Stars Hollow okay. Well, given our recent history, I'm inclined to believe the former. I put my phone back into my pocket and took one last look at this museum before me.

"Too tired of the Big Apple, huh?" A voice behind me said.

I knew instantly who it was. I smiled and turned around to face him.

"No, but you're definitely a stranger to it if you're calling it that. I believe you taught me that."

After all these years, it was as if nothing in Stars Hollow really changed. Everything looked the same and looked as if no time had passed from when I left for New York almost a decade ago to this very night. And the same thing could be said about him. He looked just like he did the very last time I saw him. Same hair, same build, same crook at his bottom lip.

"Jess Mariano. What are you doing up at this hour?"

"Rory Gilmore. Funny you should ask because I was going to ask you the same thing. Actually, and more importantly, why are you here?"

Almost nothing about him changed except for the fact that he had facial hair now and wore better clothes. Gone was his long-sleeved shirt under a ¾ sleeved oxford. In its place was now a black-knitted men's cardigan over a plain white shirt. He matched this with denim jeans. He cleaned himself up really well.

"I'm just visiting." I said to Jess.

"It took you long enough. So I'm assuming you're headed to your house."

"You assume correctly."

"Okay, well here let me help you with your stuff." He said as he grabbed my suitcase.

"It's fine, it's not a problem. I can just roll that back home."

"Nah. What kind of gentleman would I be if I let you roll your suitcase all the way home at like almost 5 in the morning?"

"You're a gentleman?" I joked.

"Ha. Funny. But really, let me take you home. My car is parked across the street from Doose's."

"Alright, if you're sure."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

He took my suitcase and carried it with him as we walked over to his car. He put my bags into the trunk of his Toyota RAV4 and I hopped into the passenger's seat. He entered the car a minute later and we took off.

"So first of all, why are you awake at this time?" I asked.

"I'm usually up at 5:30 am because I like to walk around town for a bit before opening up for Luke. It's just that today, I got up at 4 and I couldn't go back to sleep. I got ready and decided to walk around anyway. And what a stroke of luck it is that the day I wake up earlier than usual is the day that you come back into town. It seems like fate, doesn't it?"

"It does. So, is your route usually passing through that museum?"

"Ah the museum. No, it's not actually."

"So was it fate again that made you walk by the museum at the exact moment I was there?"

"Well, it's a little less fate and a little more of your cellphone."

"My cellphone. Oh you heard that huh?"

"Pretty much, yeah. I followed the noise because it's very unusual for anybody else to be up at this hour."

"You followed the noise? Isn't what they tell you not to do in horror movies? Because before you know it, a serial killer who has just escaped from the asylum is gonna stab you in the face?"

"But this isn't a horror movie is it? And you're definitely not Mike Meyers. And no, there are no crazy people like that here. Not since…" Jess stopped.

"Not since?" I asked.

"Not since…well forever."

Something was off about his response but I smiled at him anyway. Maybe that was something, a hint about the story I needed to cover. So Jess knows something. If he does, then I'll need to get closer to him to find out. But if he's holding himself back from telling me something, then it's probably best that I don't push him.

"So that museum…" I said.

"Yeah, that museum is something."

"I'm really surprised that it's there. How did that happen?"

Jess shrugged his shoulders and just said "I don't really know. But you know things change, roll with it. And besides, it's been really good for Stars Hollow."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Interesting. I'm thinking of visiting it after I settle in."

"Well it is interesting, you should check it out. And speaking of settling in…"

"What?"

"We're here."

I looked out the window and there it was—that quaint house I used to call home.


End file.
